Iceland (Lonely Planet, 7th Edition) - Fran Parnell [7]
This 10-day event features the hottest new international films as well as seminars and workshops (www.riff.is; Click here).
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OCTOBER
FYRSTI VETRARDAGUR 3rd Sat of Oct
Families get together at Fyrsti Vetrardagur (First Day of Winter) to mourn the passing of summer. As you might expect, it’s generally a low-key affair.
ICELAND AIRWAVES mid-late Oct
Reykjavík is home to the cutting-edge Iceland Airwaves music festival, staged at the end of the month. It features five days packed with top DJs, international live music and hard-core partying – check out www.icelandairwaves.is for past and present line-ups.
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NOVEMBER
DAGAR MYRKURS early Nov
Egilsstaðir (in eastern Iceland) perversely celebrates the onset of winter over 10 days, with dark dances, ghost stories, star walks and torch-lit processions during its unusual Days of Darkness festival.
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DECEMBER
NEW YEAR’S EVE 31 December
Festivities aplenty with dinners, bonfires, fireworks, parties and clubbing till the early hours of New Year’s Day to celebrate the arrival of a brand-new year.
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Itineraries
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CLASSIC ROUTES
REYKJAVÍK & THE GOLDEN CIRCLE
ROADS LESS TRAVELLED
WESTFJORDS CIRCUIT
THE EMPTY EAST
TAILORED TRIPS
SEEKING THE VIKINGS & THEIR STORIES
SWIMMING POOLS, SPAS & HOT SPRINGS
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CLASSIC ROUTES
REYKJAVÍK & THE GOLDEN CIRCLE Four days / Reykjavík to the Blue Lagoon (via the Golden Circle & south coast)
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A 300km route perfect for those with little time to spare. Once you’ve explored Reykjavík’s charms, catch a glimpse of what lies in the vast beyond outside Iceland’s only real city: waterfalls, geysers, lava formations, ghosts and trolls, tiny fishing villages and steaming geothermal pools.
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Arrive in Reykjavík on Friday to catch the runtur pub crawl Click here. Next morning, sober up in the fantastic geothermal swimming pool at Laugardalur, before sweeping up the steeple of Hallgrímskirkja, ingesting Viking history at the National Museum and admiring modern creations at Hafnarhúsið art gallery. Join a whale-watching trip, then indulge in an afternoon’s weird and wonderful shopping Click here.
Next up, the Golden Circle: start at Þingvellir National Park, cradle of the nation, before heading to Geysir to watch the Strokkur geyser gush. Saddle up and horse-ride to thundering Gullfoss, one of Iceland’s most impressive waterfalls. Now head for tiny fishing village Stokkseyri to kayak on a tranquil lagoon or scare yourself silly at the Ghost Centre. The more sober attractions at neighbouring Eyrarbakki include the wonderful museum Húsið. Dine at a top-notch seafood restaurant, Við Fjöruborðið or Hafið Bláa, between Eyrarbakki and Þórlákshöfn.
Stop at the idyllic Blue Lagoon on the way back to the airport.
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ROADS LESS TRAVELLED
WESTFJORDS CIRCUIT Seven days to three weeks / Stykkishólmur to Krossnes
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Too many people shunt round the Ring Road and miss the wild and lovely Westfjords. This 560km route takes you to some of the emptiest, strangest and most spectacular parts of Iceland – places that will seem like a dream when you’re safely back home.
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Arrive in the Westfjords in style: take the ferry from pretty Stykkishólmur and stop off midroute at the quaint island of Flatey, with its colourful houses and population of five. Once you’ve landed in the Westfjords, head straight for Iceland’s most western point, the cliffs at Látrabjarg, teeming with bird life. Wiggle your way north along the next big fjord to beautiful Ketildalir and Selárdalur (Kettle Valley), where you’ll find the weather-worn sculptures of Samúel Jónsson. Spend at least two days in remote, raven-filled Ísafjörður to take advantage of the kayaking, birdwatching and boat trips available from the town. Those with time to spare can branch off into true wilderness on a lonely multiday hike across the deserted Hornstrandir Peninsula.